For me, the best personal finance lessons are the ones I learn first-hand. When I actually experience something, I get a lot more out of it than simply by reading about it.
Last week I flew to San Francisco. To kill time on the early morning flight, I browsed the SkyMall catalog. Big mistake. There’s some cool stuff in there — cool stuff that I don’t actually need. Before I knew it, I was dog-earing pages for things like:
- A vinyl record-to-compact disc converter.
- A “handsome” bill organizer.
- A motion-activated camera for birdwatching.
- A baking pan for brownies where every piece is an “edge”.
And, of course, the piece de resistance: the Arcade Legends full-sized 100-game system, which features dozens of my childhood favorites like Asteroids, Centipede, Tempest, Berserk, and Missile Command. I was giving serious consideration to this $3700 monstrosity before I realized what an idiot I was being.
It sometimes frustrates me that I’m tempted by gadgets and toys still. I want not to care. I want to be able to walk into a store or browse through a catalog and not find myself longing for things I know I do not need. Fortunately, I’m usually able to remind myself of my goals. And none of my goals involve owning an Arcade Legends video game machine.
I put away the SkyMall catalog and I read a book instead.
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I guess the Italian equivalent is D-mail: http://www.dmail.it/
You laugh out loud at 20 items you see on it… and then find yourself craving for the 21st – it’s evil!
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@TW
I never called for rules or regulations to limit capitalist and materialist expression in the U.S. But now that you mention it, I can’t say I’m entirely opposed to some restrictions that may help conserve energy and other resources.
All I was saying is that, as indivudals, if we find ourselves tempted so easily by things like Skymall, perhaps we have to work harder to develop the critical reaction (aversion?) to junk culture.
It’s one thing to be frugal through techniques, but a very different thing to be frugal through attitude and vision as well as behavior. If frugality is merely a collection of tips and shortcuts, as opposed to a deeply-rooted belief system, then it’s easier for us imperceptibly to lapse back into hyperconsumption and debt.
Many people here have expressed admiration for Skymall products, and yes, many of them do show great feats of human technology and engineering–handmaidens of capitalism. On the other hand, these products can only exist if there’s demand for them; they weren’t created merely for browsing. The paradox of consumerism kicks in here: in order for others to admire these things frugally, many more people have to be shelling out money or a credit line for them. That lessens the appeal of this junk for me.
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@RJ,
I know you didn’t call for regulations and the like, I do think that there are some that would support them but you can’t regulate morality or frugality for that matter. I think it’s up to us to lead by example and try to influence those around us but I shudder at the idea of anyone trying to force it via laws etc.
I really like the comment about writing all over the magazine, I think I’ll follow suit the next time I fly.
We are not opposed here, except maybe in how much we’d support the government in an attempt to stem over consumption.
TW
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Not at all relevant sidenote/shameless plug: JD, you totally should have gone to Miette bakery while in SF! They bake their brownies in individual pans so every brownie has the chewy corners AND a fudgy center. Leave the gadgets to the professionals.
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When we are trapped in transit, our mind is looking for amusement, and we must be terribly vulnerable at such a time. Apparently, unhappiness leads to consumer cravings!
I just mentally imagine it arriving, and then finding all sorts of terrible flaws in it…
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Um, does that mean I shouldn’t tell you about the Skymall “Peaceful Progression Wake Up Clock” on my nightstand?
Yeah, SkyMall is evil.
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“Just because you’re on a diet, doesn’t mean you can’t read the menu!”
The fun of perusing SkyMall is to dog-ear the pages for stuff that you never buy (ok, maybe not “never” — I bought the 20 piece Tiger Direct computer adapters set and it’s great!)
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“Folk singers can’t really fool with no SkyMall”
-Todd Snider
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Hey, nothing wrong at looking at that stuff or even thinking you want it- as long as you don’t buy it. I do not shop much here but when I travel, I love to look at very high end stores in NYC, Paris and London. I don’t buy Badgley Mischka(spelling?) or Christian Laboutin(sp -but you know, really fancy shoes)- and most of the stuff has no place in my life(or my body) but I like to look at it. Also I sometimes take Skymall, cut something out and make it into a card with a funny comment. Then I recycle it.
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JD, it takes time to become apathetic about our consumerist society and all of its (haha) “treasures.” My BF and I are in the process of dropping out, but we still get lured in occasionally. He’s an electronic musician, so for him it’s equipment. I’m an artist and photographer, so for me, it’s equipment, show fees, art supplies, and of course, we both love books and movies.
At least you came to your senses before you bought that birdwatching camera!
Jen M.
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1. Don’t knock litterbox-hiding furniture or automatic feeding devices. The former has come in very handy for me, as I have multiple cats, and hiding the litterboxes makes our home a more pleasant environment for our guests.
Our litter cabinet was a curbside find that I converted. It’s really easy to do. We have not gotten the latter yet, but we are considering it, because we have a special needs cat who cannot share food with our others. Right now, if we travel overnight, we have to take him with us. If we got him an automatic feeder, he could stay home on those overnighters, and it would save all of us a lot of stress.
2. Catalogs are evil. They are fun to look through, and we do find “wants.” I had a mild victory over one yesterday, however. I get shoe catalog, because my mother once gifted me with shoes from the company that puts this catalog out. I was looking for a pair of black sandals yesterday and was dissatisifed with what was in the catalog, so I went online. I found the pair I want for 1/2 the price of what was in that catalog, PLUS the sandals I found are vegan (the ones in the catalog are not.) I think catalogs make a good starting point when you really have a need for something, but beyond that, they’re just brain candy, as someone said.
3. We do not fly. We either drive or take the train when we travel. I find flight extremely unsustainable from both an environmental and a frugal standpoint. Of course, if we ever need to or choose to travel internationally, we’ll have to make a concession. The nice thing about train travel is the scenery. I find train travel very soothing, and it’s much cheaper, in my experience. (I should note that I’m not crazy–the “we” to which I refer is me and my boyfriend. LOL!)
Jen M.
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I also like looking at the SkyMall catalog. For me though, I always end up thinking, “Man! I need to think of one of these ideas! The profit margins are probably HUGE on some of these products.” I’ve always wanted an arcade legends type of thing, but I realize the price tag they put on it is waaaaay too high. I’ve been looking into building a MAME box for several years. There are all kinds of plans on the internet and you could build the cabinet yourself. Essentially, all you need is an old computer and you could load far more games on it than you can find on any of these pre-made things on the market. Plus there’s the satisfaction of having made it yourself. I estimate it would probably cost around $500 or so to make–depending on the features you add. But anyway, if that’s something that might interest you, look into it. I always thought it seemed like a fun project.
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This is definitely a human weakness, no doubt about it! I agree that legislating against it would be counterproductive. For me I’ve just learned to stay away from temptation. I buy a lot less Stuff when I A) put mailbox catalogs in the recycle bin without opening them, B) delete the catalog emails before opening them, and C) don’t open the SkyMall catalog on the plane. I am, however, really enthused about the idea of writing commentary in the margins. Next time I fly, I might just indulge!!!
P.S. I love both the center and the edge brownies. But having an equal-opportunity policy does cause havoc on the waistline…
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Fortunately for me, I have not been tempted by the wares of the SkyMall. Catalogs of any sort don’t really do it for me because my experience has always been that the item is a cheap quality item and will break within months of owning it. Therefore, I stick with what I can see and touch personally.
But, the point of temptation is not lost on me. I just spent another $35 on DVDs. I was doing quite well for awhile, I hadn’t bought any DVDs at all and then suddenly this wave hits and I’d wager I’ve spent about $200 on DVDs in the last two months. *sigh*
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I have the brownie pan because I put it on my Amazon wishlist and got it as a Xmas present. I’ll let you borrow it. I have the entire MAME arcade emulator too. And I live in PDX. I’d be happy to share both in exchange for some of Kris’s extra tomato starts!
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For a great laugh, check out Kasper Hauser’s hilarious parody of the SkyMall catalog:
http://www.kasperhauser.com/skymaul_site/FlipBook.html
Also, I found that canceling my fashion magazine and catalog subscriptions is a great way to want less and therefore buy less.
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I bought it at SkyMall,
that five mile high mall.
They always have just what I need!
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I just love the GRS community! It just answered all my questions about Skymall that I never thought to ask!
- How much $$$ does this company make
- Who is buying what…
For me, I usually flip through it before the flight takes off and kind of chuckle at some of the useless items and fantisize about some of the more “practical” items. Buy the time we are taxi-ing the runway the magazine is back in its compartment and by the time we are in flight I’m usually catching a few ZZZzz’s and forget about Skymall until my next flight!
For those that have ordered…I’m curious, do you fill out the order form on the flight (and leave with the flight staff?) or do you have to place your order once you land/return home? The reason I ask is it seems like having to remember to place an order would compel people to forget unless it is something they REALLY want.
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Yeah, that arcade machine always gets me. But that’s probably the most expensive way to get an arcade cabinet in your home (of course).
Unfortunately even the “inexpensive” DIY options ( http://www.arcadedepot.com , for example), are still quite expensive – over $1000 at the minimum.
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Doesn’t the exclusivity enhance people’s buying? i.e., Only those who fly see the SkyMall catalog, so only “we” special people have access to these wonderful products. I bet that temporary mood of “specialness” helps them sell.
I read the SkyMall catalog to appreciate the human genius that creates such a variety of items – and, for the comedy of the prices.
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I think the most insidious thing about SkyMall is not that it’s there, but the obnoxious things it lists. Seriously, who needs a 50 way back scratcher anyway?
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All I can think about when SkyMall is mentioned is the comedian Jim Gaffigan. “Hey, buddy, I work for SkyMall and I don’t appreciate you jabbing us!”
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